Clare Valley Heritage

Living heritage

One of the great features of the Clare Valley is the large number of intact heritage buildings.

Since European settlers arrived in the 1840s to share the land with the Ngadjuri people, a big effort has gone into preserving the region’s history.

Heritage trails guide you from town to town. The Clareville Museum and Old Police Station Museum capture the history of a region named after County Clare in Ireland. Historic buildings are scattered around the Clare Valley.

A colourful history

The Clare Valley is also known for its copper and farming history. Jesuit priests fleeing religious persecution in Silesia (now part of Poland) planted the first vines in 1851 at Sevenhill Cellars.

There’s now a full range of wines to taste and the church, hand excavated cellar and atmospheric crypt are open for tours.

Take a tour

Burra was once Australia’s seventh largest city and had the world’s biggest copper mine. Buy the Burra Heritage Passport Key from the Burra Visitor Centre. It gives you access to eight historic sites, including the Monster Mine, Redruth Gaol, Unicorn Brewery Cellars and the Dugouts. You will also receive a guidebook detailing 49 historic sites over an 11 kilometre driving trail.

Historic splendour

Bungaree Station was one of Clare Valley’s first pastoral stations and is still in use today. Its historic cottages form a secluded village and make an ideal place to stay.

Martindale Hall is Georgian architecture at its best, decorated with nineteenth century art, furniture and hunting relics.

Time stands still in Mintaro. Drystone walls and Moreton Bay fig trees line the main street of this intimate 160 year old village. You’ll find boutique accommodation, wineries and restaurants inside its historic buildings.

Prehistoric

See the region’s oldest history in the gorges of the Red Banks Conservation Park. Take a walk through time to see 50,000 year old Diprotodon (giant wombat) and Marsupial Lion fossils.